Giving the game to son for Christmas and installation issues.

Hi guys, I have a few questions if you don't mind.

Now while my own game was eventually activated about 12 hours after I purchased it, I am about to buy a 2nd copy for my son for Christmas, and as I don't live with him and won't be with him on Christmas Day I want to make sure that it is realistic to expect him to be able to install and activate the game himslelf.

While he is also getting a Wii and other presents, FM09 is what he really wants and I am more than a little worried that Christmas is going to be a disaster for him because he is going to get just what he wants but not going to be able to install it or activate it.

I don't want to use Steam as it seems a completely pointless programme that takes up more space on my pc/laptop. You can't even turn it off after you are playing FM09, so it is always running in the background. I thought that I had closed it down but I have since worked out that in fact it was only hidden and was still running. It is not possible to turn off Steam while a product that was installed using Steam is still running. How ridiculous is that?

Anyway, I want to know if there are still issues with phone activation. If needed I am prepared to install the game on his pc early and activate it early and then wrap the game up and stick it under the tree, (although he's only 11, he's clued up enough to install any subsequent patch that is released between now and then).

So I really need to know if I go round and install the game one day this week, will the phone activation system allow me to install the game or will I be fannying around and wasting my time?

Also, with regards to my own game, is it possible to remove steam from my own machine?

I appreciate that it will probably involve me removing FM09 from the machine too, but I am quite prepared to do that as I can just upload my save games to folefront or a similar service. So is this realistic and are there likely to be any subsequent issues with regards to me trying to deactivate a game that was activated on steam, and then reactivating it again manually via phone?

Lastly, I will be buying a new pc shortly after christmas and I will need to deactivate my game from it's current location, (laptop). The last time I looked there was still no way to deactivate your game so I am obviously a little worried.

Cheers in advance.

The other option is Uniloc mate, its an online activation but you dont have to download any programs like steam! Just do it once and thats it. From what i hear the activation issues are pretty much sorted now although i think the volume if numbers may pick up at christmas for obvious reasons! After all, it was number volumes that helped to contribute to the release day massacre

When you get your new computer why dont you just leave it installed on your laptop too? You get 5 installations with the game! I have it set up similar, saving my games on a memory stick and being able to play on both machines!

Unless your completely getting rid of your laptop like!

It's a borrowed laptop that I will be returning. That's why I want to remove it.

Cheers for the Uniloc info though:thup:.

When I installed it initially though I don't think I was given that option.

It gave me an option of online activation or telephone activation, but nothing else. I assumed that Uniloc was another name for either the phone system or the Steam system:confused:.

It's a borrowed laptop that I will be returning. That's why I want to remove it.

Cheers for the Uniloc info though:thup:.

When I installed it initially though I don't think I was given that option.

It gave me an option of online activation or telephone activation, but nothing else. I assumed that Uniloc was another name for either the phone system or the Steam system:confused:.

It will give you the option in the form of check boxes, activate via uniloc or activate through steam! There is a deactivation URL that use can use to de-activate your copy, off the top off my head i cant remember what it is! There were some problems early on with that and i dont know if they have been sorted, although i think they have if that makes sense! You get the 5 installations on 5 machines anyway so its not that much of a problem!

Removing Steam is just like removing any other programs, i have done it before and had no issues!

It is not possible to turn off Steam while a product that was installed using Steam is still running. How ridiculous is that?

At the risk of repeating myself, that is absolutely not true. Steam is just one way of activating the game. Once FM is activated you need never run Steam again, if you so wish.

Oh yes, you just have to go into the FM file on your computer and extract the fm.exe file to your desktop as a shortcut!

Oh yes, you just have to go into the FM file on your computer and extract the fm.exe file to your desktop as a shortcut!

A little confused there! You have to create a shortcut on your desktop to the fm.exe file in the program folder.

Well actually you don't even have to do that - you can run it any way you like - but a desktop shortcut is a pretty handy way of doing it.

At the risk of repeating myself, that is absolutely not true. Steam is just one way of activating the game. Once FM is activated you need never run Steam again, if you so wish.

This is true Jimbo, I completely shut down Steam via task manager every time I switch on my PC and have no problems playing FM. I don't want to fully uninstall Steam as it's a pretty easy way to get the patches when they come out.

So I'd say that these days Steam is probably a decent way to authenticate. There will no longer be issues with the servers being overloaded and there shouldn't be a problem authenticating through Steam any more. The same goes for Uniloc, though I haven't used them so can't comment on how good/bad this method is.

The one thing Jimbo jnr should keep in mind is the activiation code's which as we know can be confusing when it comes to i's looking like 1's and that kind of thing.

The one thing Jimbo jnr should keep in mind is the activiation code's which as we know can be confusing when it comes to i's looking like 1's and that kind of thing.

If I were you I'd install before christmas because of the 0 and o issues. I was lucky it only took about 20 attempts

Last thing you want on christmas morn is the stress of is it a 0 or o. Don't want junior angry with Santa

There is also a website that will decipher the code for you! I done mine first time so i dont know what the address is!

There is also a website that will decipher the code for you! I done mine first time so i dont know what the address is!

http://keylookup.fm2009.softanchorinsight.com/

Cheers guys.

Didn't realise that I could do away with Steam. Will have to try again.

When I tried before it wouldn't allow me to, but I'm guessing that was me just being silly as I have already done it now so thanks.

Cheers also for the link to the code cipher link. I have no doubt we will need that again.

Thanks also to MadGamer for getting the ddeactivation URL stickied.

Cheers guys.

So to recap, I should do it in advance, use Steam to activate initially but then only for subsequent patches to be installed.

Would someone mind telling me how I start the game without a shortcut link or how I create a shortcut link from scratch please.

Cheers.

Jimbo,

I'm at work so can't remember the exact path but you need to go to My Computer / Programmes / Steam and look in there for the FM09.exe file. Right click on this and choose 'send to desktop/create shortcut' and this will stick the shortcut on your desktop.

After that you can shut down Steam completely and just double click the shortcut you've just created to play the game. If you don't want the shortcut on your desktop then you can just use the FM09.exe file that's in the Steam folder that you created the shorcut from, just double click it to launch the game without Steam running.

Btw, the above is how it's done on XP, I'm not sure if it's exactly the same on Vista.

EDIT: Just looked it up and the exact path you need for the FM executable is C:\Program Files\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Football Manager 2009

Oh how I wish I still used xp:(.

I still can't get to grips to vista even after all this time.

If anyone knows how to do it on Vista then please let me know.

I don't like change so have no plans to get Vista.

I think the FM09.exe should still be in the same place, I'm just not sure how you send it to your desktop on Vista.

I'm ill at the moment and not thinking clearly so can'gt work it out.

Got caught with playing a ST at DC earlier somehow and not having muck luck with this.

Think I'll wait and try again later.

I downloaded the game vio Steam, installed iz via Steam and registered it via Steam. I even uninstalled it to format my computer and reinstalled it via Steam. Besides there actions I never had to run Steam - you can untick the "Start Steam when computer starts" and you won't have to worry about it untill new patch comes out. So it never runs, starts, does funny things in background or anything else...

I don't like change so have no plans to get Vista.

I think the FM09.exe should still be in the same place, I'm just not sure how you send it to your desktop on Vista.

Creating a desktop shortcut to an item has been done in exactly the same way in every version of Windows since 95 (i.e. since the desktop has existed!)

Drag the program icon (fm.exe) to your desktop using the right mouse button and select "Create shortcut here" from the dropdown menu that appears when you release the button.

Sounds great Robzilla, but if you don't seem to have a programme entitled fm.exe then It's no longer that straighforward.

It was always easy before Vista but now it's beyond me.

The only way I have found of opening FM2009 is via Steam.

I would love to know how to do it on it's own if you know.

Creating a desktop shortcut to an item has been done in exactly the same way in every version of Windows since 95 (i.e. since the desktop has existed!)

Drag the program icon (fm.exe) to your desktop using the right mouse button and select "Create shortcut here" from the dropdown menu that appears when you release the button.

That's how I did it, always the easiest option.

Sounds great Robzilla, but if you don't seem to have a programme entitled fm.exe then It's no longer that straighforward.

It was always easy before Vista but now it's beyond me.

The only way I have found of opening FM2009 is via Steam.

I would love to know how to do it on it's own if you know.

If you are using a PC and you have FM installed then you have an fm.exe file, because that is the name of the game executable. Are you saying you cannot find it? If so, and you bought it from Steam it will be here:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\football manager 2009\

If you installed it from a disc, it will be somewhere else, probably something like:

C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009\

Although I can't be sure exactly because I got my FM through Steam.

Once you have found that folder, you will find in it a file called fm.exe. Right-click on this file and hold the button down, then drag it to your desktop. Release the mouse button and choose the option that says "create shortcut here".

Alternatively, right-click anywhere on your desktop and choose New > Shortcut, then browse to the location above, click on the fm.exe file and click OK, then follow the instructions.

I installed it from a disk, but activated it through Steam.

Because of that, the file locations seem hidden.

The only FM2009 files that I can find are as follows.

db

games

matches

skins

sounds

tactics

When I search for a programme called fm.exe it tells me that there are no matches.

When I search for all programmes with "football manager" in the title, it shows me is the above folders and the contents of the above folders, (of which fm.exe isn't one).

If you installed it from a disc, it will be somewhere else, probably something like:

C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009\

Nope:(.

And when I try to search for programmes that are located within the steam umbrella, it actually opens steam when I click on the steam programme file rather thn opening the file and showing me the contents of what it contains, (as it does with my FM2009 file).

So the above is why I thought/think that I need to have Steam running to load my game. If anyone else has another solution then great, but as it stands it is my only option.

If I don't open Steam then I cannot access FM2009:(.

I did the same as you Jimbo, installed from disk and activated through steam, and my FM.exe is in the following place:

C:\Program Files\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Football Manager 2009

Have you looked in there rather than in the Sports Interactive folder? If it's not in there then it sounds like something's wrong and you may want to consider re-installing. I assure you that this does work for myself and others and there must be an FM09.exe file somewhere on your PC otherwise you simply wouldn't be able to play the game.

uniloc was so simple type in the code on the manual, ativation complete - play the game

uniloc is the best way.

He's been told that, and he can't find it.

Searching for "fm.exe" might look for that whole bit of text in the filename itself, which you don't want.

I'm not on a Vista at the moment... but, from memory:

Go to My Computer.

Click the C drive.

Hit Control+F. It will direct you to the search box in the top right corner. Type just "fm" into that. If that doesn't return anything, try searching for "steam" because it is likely to be in a Steam folder somewhere, but may be under a different name.

You aren't in America are you? You may be looking for something else - wwsm.exe, perhaps? - if you are...

Jimbo

go to the FM 2009 icon on your desktop right click it and then click on properties and then click on the open file locatio button.

hope this helps!!

The only FM2009 files that I can find are as follows.

db

games

matches

skins

sounds

tactics

Those are folders, not files.

Trust me, you do have a file somewhere on your computer called fm.exe. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find it

Those are folders, not files.

Trust me, you do have a file somewhere on your computer called fm.exe. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find it

rofl:D.

You're such a ****.

Jimbo

go to the FM 2009 icon on your desktop right click it and then click on properties and then click on the open file locatio button.

hope this helps!!

For the love of God! If I had it on my desk top there wouldn't be an issue:D.

I did the same as you Jimbo, installed from disk and activated through steam, and my FM.exe is in the following place:

C:\Program Files\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Football Manager 2009

Have you looked in there rather than in the Sports Interactive folder? If it's not in there then it sounds like something's wrong and you may want to consider re-installing. I assure you that this does work for myself and others and there must be an FM09.exe file somewhere on your PC otherwise you simply wouldn't be able to play the game.

Cheers mate:thup:.

Got it now.

Thanks for the help guys.

God I miss xp:(.

Glad to hear you've got it sorted Jimbo. This thread just confirms the reason why I'm sticking with XP. I'm getting old and can't be doing with change

rofl:D.

You're such a ****.

What's that you say Jimbo? You find it in the very first place I told you to look? Well I never

Glad you're sorted

Jimbo Jnr is spoilt.

Should have a lump of coal, an orange and a stick and hoop.

The FM.exe icon is in \Steam\steamapps\common\football manager 2009\fm.exe

And you can turn off that steam opens with windows and you never have to look at it again.

Right guys. So although I now have an FM09 icon on my desktop, when I click on it to load the game I get the following message.

fm.exe - Unable to Locate Component.

This application has failed to start because saAuditMD.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

You are receiving the error: ‘This application has failed to start because saAuditMD.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem’

Fix: Please download the file from here and place in the game folder

http://downloads.sigames.com/download/saAuditMD.zip

Cheers Captain Planet.

Exactly which folder do I place the file in?

It's a zip file, so you'll need to extract it and place the resulting file in C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009

Ok. I've extracted it already.

When I go to.....

Computer - Hard Drive C - Programme Files - Sports Interactive - Football Manager 2009

I see the following in the folder.

File Folder - Uninstall Football Manager.

Text Document - Football_Manager_2009_InstallLog

Aplication Extension - saAuditMD.dll

And then I have the folder that I have downloaded and unzipped.

File Folder - asAuditMD

I get exactly the same message when I try to load up.

Have I put it in the wrong place:confused:?

I'm doing nothing but guessing here Jimbo but it might be worth putting it into the folder that contains the FM09.exe that you used to create the shortcut on your desktop (C:\Program Files\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Football Manager 2009)

If it doesn't work the you can just move it back again until someone comes along and gives you the correct solution.

You just want the file in the Football Manager 2009 directory, not the folder that was extracted.

Ok. So I have to put it into the steam folder then.

That makes sense.

Sorry. Not very well and struggling with staying alive at the moment and navigating about Vista is not one of my strong points even when I am fighting fit.

Because I don't understand how it bis working I am following instructions completely and not using any common sense:o.

You just want the file in the Football Manager 2009 directory, not the folder that was extracted.

Ok, I get that it is just the file now, (not the whole folder), but what exactly do you mean by the Football Manager 2009 directory?

put it in both:

C:\Program Files\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Football Manager 2009

and

C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009

It should ask you to overwrite an existing file in at least one of those folders, in which case, click yes.

Now it is asking me if I want to replace the existing file that was there already with the same name?

Just read your last post. Thanks.

So I actually put it in 2 folders? Not just one?

So I actually put it in 2 folders? Not just one?

Yes but just to be safe, I can't remember which one exactly it needs to go in.

I placd it into both of those but still not working.

Still getting same message when I click on the shortcut.

Now when I try to load the game via Steam it tells me that the game is currently unavailable so I can't load the game at all:(.